Construction work on Lot’s Museum at the Dead Sea is completed with experts now working on developing a unique exhibit for visitors before the end of the year.

Tourism and Antiquities Ministry Assistant Secretary General Ihab Amarin said the ministry has allocated JD250,000 for furbishing and equipping the museum.

“We’re currently in the planning stage of developing the interior exhibits such as text, panels and interpretative material, which will be put together with the help of experts,” Amarin told The Jordan Times.

“The content and design of these exhibits are a key part of this project, and will be developed in a way that will give visitors an understanding of the historical significance of the area,” he added.

Amarin, who also heads the ministry’s technical development department, said the museum, in the Ghor Al Safi area, 70 kilometres south of Karak, is considered a significant project for the area.

Located only a few metres from where Lot and his family are said to have sought refuge from the devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah, it is set to be an eye-opener on the history of various sites in the area.

The area is home to numerous discoveries dating back to biblical times.

Prominent personages linked with the Dead Sea and its surroundings include Herod the Great, Jesus of Nazareth, and John the Baptist. It was noted to be one of the world’s first health resorts for King Herod, who built and re-built several fortresses and palaces on the western bank, and a place of refuge for King David.

Historians report that it was also where the Nabataeans discovered the value of bitumen, extracted from the Dead Sea and used by the Egyptians for embalming their mummies.

The area around Lot’s Cave itself is steeped in history, with excavations unearthing a church and monastery believed to have been built by the Byzantine Christians and dedicated to Saint Lot.

Amarin said a series of promotional efforts are being undertaken to enhance the museum’s attraction, including brochures and a website designed to engage and enlighten visitors.

The Department of Tourism and Antiquities, which has carried out various excavations in the area, will play a key role in setting up the exhibits, along with geological experts from local universities.

Experts from the British Museum, including one who was involved in the digs by Lot’s Cave, are also taking part in the planning and display of these exhibits.  

Major expansion work is under way along the shores of the Dead Sea, mainly construction of hotels and development of services for the public, to attract more visitors to the area.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Osama Dabbas has repeatedly noted the importance of expanding and diversifying the country’s tourism product in line with tourist demands.

The two-storey museum, spread over 2,150 square metres, which has a cafeteria, service facilities and a parking lot, is part of expanding tourism activities in the area.

Tourism development planners also regard the museum as a place to showcase the topography and unique geological facets of the area.

(source: Jordan Times)